I note that the School of Philosophy in Sydney is begging for funds from the general public to maintain its property, “Mahratta” in Wahroonga, a very up market suburb of the North Shore of Sydney. Perhaps, its current leader, Anthony Renshaw should take a leaf out of Mavro’s book and make all the senior levels of the SOP hand over one weeks salary every six months to fill its expense account, rather than sponging off the people of Australia even if it is National Trust listed. I don’t want my National Trust donations going to the SOP, that is for sure!

Better still, why not ask the asset rich School of Economic Science to fork out some money to the Sydney SOP. Then again, why not asked Hugh Jackman to help out. According to GQ Magazine, we are just a bunch of a few grumpies on this forum, whining about the SES, which is so saintly!!!

How do you think Mavro bought the Kent Street building in the heart of Sydney's CBD. It was through the generosity of William Fox and the salaries of the senior groups using standover tactics. Then it was refurbished by the hard labour of the senior members of the SOP. After Mavro, they sold it for a massive profit and bought the Westpac Bank building in Wahroonga which they renamed "Mahratta".

A Google search reveals a few disgruntled bulletin board postings from people claiming to be former students of The School of Practical Philosophy, though their complaints amount to little more than not liking its teaching style. Some female devotees of The School of Economic Science gripe about having been asked to wear “long flowing dresses” and wash male students' laundry at retreats (MacLaren’s view of gender roles was among his more eccentric beliefs).

A New York Times reporter who attended a course at the school’s 79th Street headquarters complained only of being bored.

It all makes accusations that the school is a cult seem difficult to justify. Tutors are unpaid, course fees are modest and it doesn’t differ markedly from many such esoteric institutions in the sub-continent. The source material studied — ranging from Shakespeare to the Upanishads to Whitman — can hardly be said to be either fringe or lightweight.

I think maybe GQ needs a few letters written to it? I for one will be writing!

Pupil at St James Girl's School from 1979-1989, from age 4-14. Parents ex-members of SES.

I tried to cut and paste the part of the article and add the link but it did not work. Just over the hill when it comes to IT stuff. I've been out to the shed to see if I can find that old calligraphy board and pen and nib set, I am more conditioned to using the older arts.

The article in GQ is just a publicity blurb for the goodie, goodie X-Man, straight out of the comic strip itself. There are a few of these floating around the various media links. Can't help but be cynical about this type of hype!

Interesting, ET and Ahamaty. Slightly off thread, sorry Justice, but the GQ piece seems typical of modern journalism. The reporter obviously has not read the Forum - he probably got briefed by an insider or pinched it from another piece in his cuttings file! Very selective wherever he got it from.What struck me about the article was that Jackman was obviously a sincere young adult when he got into the SoP, with altruistic Christian leanings, that were subsequently "taken over" by the School, no doubt in those subtle ways that we are familiar with. I suspect I too was of similar vein ( but older and female!) when I joined. Was a broad based Christian, wanted to feed the world and have world peace etc. I supported ActionAid - still do as it is OK, and had been reading extensively about other world faiths and how they related to Christianity /western culture. It may be that this leaves some people open to organisations like Sop/SES because in the early parts their material and approach seems wide and inclusive. Only later does the narrow SES dominated version of "philosophy" emerge. Not sure if Jackman has recognised this yet, and he will no doubt get the kid glove treatment as prize Hollywood star,but time will tell.Coming back on thread a bit, it is ironic that Jackman is a World Vision supporter - they are in the billions of dollars category and are particularly supportive of women and childrens plights and rights in India. Whilst the SoP/SES only sends money for the (male) Guru and the training of (male) pandits. I would LOL if it wasn't so pathetic.

The financial benefits to the SES having numerous registered charities (as well as the false air of respectability it confers) is that they are exempt from almost all taxes. Apart from paying National Insurance for employees and VAT, it is exempt from income tax, and exempt from Capital Gains Tax if the proceeds of the sale/disposal are used for charitable purposes. So any gain on its sales of properties i.e. Pope's Villa do not attract capital gains tax as the money goes back into paying for the Ashford School. And any other sales or disposals where there has been a capital gain does not attract CGT because the proceeds go back within the SES Charities. Given the increase in property values in the last 20 years or so they will have done OK out of the taxpayers.As you may know, there has been quite a debate about independent schools and their charity status - the last Government wanted the status removed, the Charity Commission baulked and instead tightened up on bursaries,community benefit and public benefit etc. and they carry on.Not sure what the coalition are going to do. Some single genuine independent schools maybe do need some give( won't get into the politics) but for the SES to be using the exemptions across it's whole operation must surely raise questions? The value of the education provided by the adult schools is not worthy of the taxpayers support, never mind whether we debate the whole cult/abuse/mind control/religious issues. Other cults have charity status too so the Commission and or the Coalition will have to be brave to tackle the problem.

All a bit tiring on the grey matter but I'm trying to keep mine working. I'll have a small glass of wine now and relax. As a tutor once advised us on alcohol "Everything in moderation". In that case I'll make it a large one.....

woodgreenxxPS Another gem - they are exempt from business rates at a minimum of 80% with local authority discretion of up to 100%. Nice, and all on the back of free labour from students. If anyone lives in an SES property they must get their council services free or at least cheap? I'll think about it when my Council Tax bill arrives next month!

The only criticism of the SES /Sopp in that article is a brief nod to Leon Maclaren's sexism, in days gone by. The implication is that ladies are no longer expected to serve men, as that all died along with him. GQ might like to know that women are still struggling for some degree of equality in SES (e.g. Bluemoon until she left not that long ago). I get the impression that the Aussie branch is less sexist but I don't know.

Justice wrote:Details of the Multi-Million Pound Assets and Income of the School Of Economic Science Cult and the St. James Independent Schools (+ Others) it controls are available via the links shown below.

*** The full accounts show details of how many people are taking their "Philosophy" courses before being indoctrinated into the Cult. ***

ST JAMES INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS FULL FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS(For the Year ended 31st August 2009 - Income £8 Million+)

Below is advice I recieved sometime ago from Liberty, following correspondence I had with the Charity Commission and the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Not conclusive, and I have not yet gone back to the Charity Commission. In my mind, there are gaps in the way in which Government Departments and Agencies are applying the basics of the HRA. When the issues are widened to the SES's approach to women, gay people and disabled people, the Charity Commission seem to be at the nub of the problem i.e. they are granting Charity status without full checks on the way in which the HRA may bite. All a bit difficult, and the Charity Commission are not wholly responsible to any Minister or Government Department from what I can work out. But am posting it anyway, lest I forget!

"I have now had the chance to review the correspondence that you forwarded.

Human Rights Act 1998 and the Charity Commission

As you know, the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA) applies to public authorities and it therefore applies to the Charities Commission. The Charity Commission actually state this on their website in relation to their role assessing whether a charity performs a ‘public benefit’:

“We also consider the impact of the Human Rights Act, which requires fair and equal treatment of the application of the public benefit principles to different types of charity, and that any differences in treatment are necessary, proportionate and legitimate” (http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/Ch ... state.aspx).

Whether or not the Charity Commission has breached the HRA (in granting charity status to the organisations you list) will be a matter of fact. You can get further guidance on this point from a solicitor specialising in charity and/or public law. Details of a solicitor in your area can be obtained from Community Legal Advice on 0845 345 4 345.

Article 9

Article 9 protects the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including the freedom to exercise religion and the right to have no religion or have non-religious beliefs protected. The right to exercise, or manifest, one’s religion or belief will not generally be considered to be interfered with if a person is left with a choice as to whether or not to comply with his or her religious obligations. This is relative in that I assume attendance at the school is on a purely voluntary basis and students can leave should they be unhappy with any of the ‘tasks’ they are asked to undertake.

I am sorry I cannot assist further. I hope this information is useful. Thank you for contacting Liberty."

My reply:"Thanks very much for your reply and for your advice, which is very helpful - especially on the issue of the application of the HRA to the Charity Commission's role.I appreciate the finer pont about the voluntary nature of attendance at the school. I'm not sure how this would apply to children in the day schools, but the one year time limit would probably rule out any chance of a challenge by ex-pupils and members anyway.

Thanks again. I may well return to the Charity Comission to pursue the first point."

Expert lawyer needed it seems.No public interest where the SES discriminate against women, gay and disabled people in their "philosophy". Thankfully the courts are alert to these issues when the public interest is at stake - they ruled against foster parents who had strong Christian views about gay people and decided they should not be allowed to foster again. Progress bit by bit.